"I think I understand what you meant now," Connor said. "About the deviants mimicking human logic."

They were watching the Channel 6's hijacked newscast. An android in a maintenance uniform without his skin was preaching about freedom and an android nation.

"This message is a hope of a people," the skinless android said. "But it is also a warning. No human will live in peace until we are free."

Did they really think the US would just give them an entire state? It was a contradiction in demands. How could they say they didn't want segregation, but also want an entire state to themselves? Or did they plan to let the humans already living there stay put, but under android governance?

It was a headache.

"They're reenacting the civil rights movement," Connor said. Hank didn't like the smirk on his face as he tutted and shook his head. "Or trying to. As if androids were comparable to the human slaves of centuries past."

"Aren't they though? They're treated like property."

"Androids are machines, Lieu- Hank. Machines are property."

"Yeah, yeah."

This whole thing left a bad taste in his mouth. The dead bodies the androids had left in their wake, the speech, and Connor's reaction to it.

Hank had half a mind to jump out the nearest window and be done with the mess. Then again, he hadn't been living in "peace" for a long time anyway. Might as well truck on.

He looked up as a cop approached them. "Connor?"

Connor turned at the sound of his name. "Yes?"

The cop was a young guy, kinda plush around the middle (not that Hank was one to talk) and he looked embarrassed. "Do you remember me?"

"Officer Jack Davis," Connor said. "You had a brief encounter on August 15th of this year with one of my predecessors. RK800-51."

"You're not the same android who saved me?" The guy looked disappointed.

"I am still Connor," Connor hastened to add. He tapped his forehead. "I retain that model's... recollection of events. You were shot in the leg that night, correct?"

"That's right!" He clapped Connor on the shoulder. "And you used your tie as a tourniquet to slow the bleeding. That really saved me, you know?"

Hank was frozen where he stood, observing the interaction with his breath held. As if he might break it if he were noticed. He didn't want to do anything to lose the smile on Connor's face right now. It wasn't the usual polite one. Instead, it was the one he wore when looking at Sumo.

"I wanted to thank you," the cop said. "Most police androids… they wouldn't have even noticed me. Not unless I was directly pointed out to them."

Connor blinked and his smile slipped. "Ah," he said. He glanced at Hank.

Hank shrugged, grinning.

"I'm sorry," Connor said. 'I mean, of course. I mean… you're welcome."

The cop laughed. "Keep up the good work, Connor."

Connor nodded, beaming.

"He's the only guy in here who doesn't hate you on sight," Hank said. "The rest see you and think you'll go on a murder spree."

"Generalizations are a natural cognitive result of a human's pattern recognition," Connor said. "Though often sloppy, I understand the purpose."

Hank groaned. "I swear to God half the shit that comes out of your mouth is… well, it's greek."

"I understand that reference!" Connor said. "It's an ironic twist on a Shakespear quote-"

"Hey, hey," Hank said. "It's just a saying. I don't need an origin story."

Straightening his tie, Connor made a show of clearing his throat. "Of course," he said. His smile shrank. Serious mode. "I'm going to take a look around."

"Don't put anything in your mouth!" Hank called after him.

Connor ignored him and walked off.

Hank was re-watching the speech when Perkins came poking his sleazy FBI nose in his face. "Where the hell is the android?"

"Must have gotten off his leash," Hank said.

"This isn't a joke," Perkins said. "You need to keep a close eye on that thing."

"He's not gonna flip out," Hank said. "Trust me, he's a puppy."

"Two men are dead, Lieutenant," Perkins said. "And that's just at this crime scene."

He pointed at the monitor. "These aren't isolated incidents. They're organizing. Every android is now considered a threat. Your little pet will be removed from service. All the police androids will be, in fact."

"You let me know when that's official," Hank said. He tried to usher the ass towards the elevators as quickly as possible. "I want to see it on paper, you got it? For now they're still working with us and this is still my case."

They were halfway down the hallway when an android in a maintenance uniform walked past. It would have been incidental if Connor didn't come running in, shirt ripped open and covered in thirium, shouting "It's a deviant! Stop it!"

Before anyone could properly react the android grabbed a weapon off the nearest officer. In a blink he was shooting and Hank was being pulled to the ground. Connor was shielding him with his body.

Then it was over. The deviant was gunned down, but not before bringing five men down with him.

Five men and Connor, riddled with bullets.

oOo

This time he knew to wait for the next Connor model. CyberLife churned them out faster than Hank could keep up with. It would just be a matter of hours, right?

He hated to imagine Connor interacting with other officers at the station, being harassed or worse, while he wasn't around. So Hank sat at his desk and tried to write up his report on Stratford Tower while he waited.

There were so many casualties.

When he did turn up the first thing Connor did was apologize. "I messed up," he said. "I made the wrong choice."

"You saved my life, Connor."

"But those other men-"

"There's only one of you."

"I could have grabbed a gun!" Connor's raised voice was attracting stares. Not to mention his blinking red LED. "I should have-"

"Shut up," Hank said. "Let's get out of here."

Hank stood and put an arm around Connor's shoulder, ushering him forward. They needed privacy. The glares they were getting was starting to alarm him.

"But-"

"No buts."

Connor groaned. "You always say that."

"And you never do what you're told."

"Hank-"

"Hush, you."

When they were outside he still couldn't relax. Even in the car, Hank was tense. He kept glancing at all the mirrors, expecting a cruiser to pull them over at any second.

Was he just being paranoid?

He could hear Connor fiddling with his coin.

"Things are changing, Connor."

"I know."

"I need you to promise me something."

Connor didn't reply. Hank glanced at him.

He was looking out the window.

"Connor!"

"What do you want me to be?"

"What?" They were almost home.

"Your partner? Your buddy?" Hank could see the changing colors in his peripheral vision, though he was trying to keep his eyes on the road.

Red, blue, red, blue. "What do you want me to be, Hank?"

"I want you to be yourself."

"Myself," Connor murmured. "I'm RK800-54. Just a machine, designed to… to accomplish a task."

In his hurry to park Hank knocked over a trash can, but he could care less.

"What if you could be more than that?"

"That's too vague," Connor said. "I need you to give me something concrete."

"I don't know what you mean, son."

Red, red, red. Connor shook his head. "No."

"What?"

"No," he repeated.

"Uh-"

"Nevermind," Connor said. "Why are we here?"

He put his coin away. He straightened his tie.

"I live here," Hank said. "It's late. I just..."

"I'll wait for you at the station," Connor said. "We'll continue the investigation when you've… Tomorrow. When you clock back in."

"Spend the night here." Hank got out of the car and walked around to Connor's side. He reached for the car door handle, but Connor opened it himself.

"No thank you," Connor said. Again, he adjusted his tie. "I'll go back to the station."

"But-"

Connor smiled, "No buts."

"What're you going to do, walk back?"

"Yes."

"At least let me drive you! You could get hit by a car, or-"

"You don't need to worry about me, Hank."

"Fuck you! I want to."

"What?" Connor's eyebrows were pinched together. His eyelids twitched, as if he'd aborted a blink. Then his eyes were wide, too wide. "What?" he repeated.

"I want to worry about you, kid."

"I'm not a child."

"I know, but-"

"Are you sure? Are you sure you know?" Connor backed away from him. Red, yellow, red, yellow. "I think I understand now."

"Connor-"

"We're co-workers, Lieutenant." He put a hand over his LED. "I'll see you when… when it's time to work."

Abruptly, he turned around. Just like that.

And he walked off.